Has anyone used an upgrade kit or can attest to the funtionality and installation of them... Do they work good ... Is it a waste ... should I just rebuild my old system ... upgrade to 13" rotors...

any actual experience doing this???

Thanks...

 

Yes, I have done it... but you won't want to go the route I did, or Jeffvette's route either. I have over $5k in my setup, front and rear calipers, rotors, pads, ss lines, new Tahoe MC, Wilwood proportioning valve, some fabricating, no e-brake, etc.

I would think for $1k you should be able to do something, just don't really know what's available in that price range. But like others, I feel there was definitely something wrong with your brakes when you bought the car. I roadraced mine pretty hard with the stock calipers and didn't have any problems.

Mike

 

I upgraded to the 13" rotors, Grand Sports calipers.
I use them on a race car. They are terrific and stop the car all day long without fade.
Make sure your brake system is in good shape or no upgrade will help.
I used the Doug rippie kit with GS calipers and stainles steel pistons. Less than $1000.00.
Good luck.

 

Your OEM brakes are sufficient to lock up the tires or activate ABS at any significant speed if they're in proper working order.

Bigger brakes are not designed for improving stopping distances. They allow more hard braking before fade occurs.

In fact, with some high performance pads, you can worsen your panic braking because they won't work as well as OEM when cold.

What WILL improve stopping distance, is a bias spring (to maximize the rear brakes' potetial.)

Along those lines, bigger piston front brakes will make your bias worse and you'll lose some rear braking, lock up fronts or activate abs, and worsen stopping distance.



In other words, if your accident was because of brakes not properly bled or bed or resurfaced, then replace with factory parts.

If it was because you were racing around and used em up, then crashed, upgrade to match your driving style.




FWIW, I did a full stop from 120mph on my stock 85 crappy single piston brakes with ORIGINAL pads (60K miles) and I didn't have any noticeable fade or warping.

I've since upgraded, but that was because the stock rotors simply didn't stand up to the constant abuse of driving like mario andretti through the santa monica mountains.

 

No it's for the front only

 

On my '92, I've had the OEM 12", the J55 13", and now the C5.

I think the OEM 12" were inadequate for spirited driving (my Lincoln Town car does better, and that's not an exaggeration).
The J55 brakes were a big improvement, and carbon metallic pads on the J55 brakes made a big improvement over that -- I could lock up my anti-lock brakes on dry pavement with no trouble and the ABS was functioning correctly.

The non-carbon-metallic (ceramic) C5 brakes were an improvement over the non-carbon-metalic J55.
But, the carbon metallic J55 brakes were better than the C5 non-carbon metallic. Just think what carbon metallic C5 brakes would do.

I took the J55 carbon metallic pads off after 2K miles when I discovered that the HUGE amount of black dust on my wheels, when the dust got wet, would etch the wheel paint permanently.

Things to keep in mind if you are racing:
The C5 rotors weigh less than the C4 J55.
The C5 calipers weigh more than the C4 J55 calipers
Comparing the combination of calipers and rotors, the C5 and C4 brakes weigh close to the same.
Once you add the weight of the C5 caliper adapters, the C5 brakes weigh more than the C4 J55 -- more unsprung weight.
However, I'm not sure how the "flywheel effect" of the C5 rotors compare to the C4 -- there may be more energy stored in the C5 rotors because the outer edge is thicker (but, they are also slightly smaller than 13"). This could be important for acceleration times -- more inertia means more hp needed.

As far as bang for the buck, I think C4 J55 brakes with carbon metallic pads is the way to go -- if you can stand the amount of dust.

I have AFS five-spoke wheels that clear the C5 calipers.
Keep in mind, the compact spare will not fit over the C5 caliper without a spacer. If I get a flat on the front, I have to put the spare on the rear and take the good rear tire to put on the front.

Tom Piper

 

OK...

Sorry to get even more confusing here...

The C5 setup would like great, but I dont like two things about.
1. The cash to by new A mold wheels (especially the lighter weight GM ones vs. AFS).
2. I dont like extra unsprung weight

So this leaves the Baer Eradispeed setup as an alternative for C4 owners who do not want to get rid of the sawblades (I even have an extra set of sawblades with race tires for easy swap on swap off)...

this kit has eradispeed lightweight slotted/drilled rotors on all 4 corners, stainless flex lines, and J55 calipers up front with the 'BAER' name on it)

Whats better the eradispeed setup or the C5 setup..?

The eradispeed setup is sold in mid americas catalog I believe.

 

The wheel issue is not important because I am buying new wheels anyhow... I will buy whatever works for the brakes ... Thanks for all the information...

 

The brakes on my 96 were spongy before, and I have driven many C4's that were worse than mine. The stock/stock replacement pads are crap, Once I went to Performance Friction 01's for HPDE's I did a school with some friends (who run Z06's with Wilwood H's) and I wasn't giving much up in the braking zones, I think that most of it was the fact that the Wilwoods were better pads, but if I would have used my old set-up (stock pads) I would've had to throw out the anchor halfway down the strait. Before go an shoot money at new calipers etc. try out some good pads, they make all the differance. I don't know if you are planning on doing any kind of autocrossing or track schools or if you just want the car to stop better but you'll end up spending $400 just on pads if you go with the Performance Friction 01's up front and 97's in the rear. They may be a bit noisey but they will stop you better than C5 calipers with ceramic pads. And the J55's were designed for the car no need for master cylinders, proportioning valves, brakets etc. I think that a good st of pads will get you to where you want to be.

 

change your brake fluid and buy some good new pads - buy a brake bias spring for $15 and you'll think you've put new brakes on the car

seriously, try this first and you'll be surprised how quick the car will stop

 

I mentioned this earlier when I pretty much stated the same thing. I was doing a lot of road racing with just PFC 01 pads up front and 93's in the rear, and was hanging with most in the braking zones.

But, even they will fade over time (I lost mine on many an occasion on shorter tracks prior to adding ducts). So, stating no need for mc's, proportioning valves, etc, really depends on what calipers you are currently using. If you have the stock J55's, then yes, the stock MC will do you just fine. However, if you are using calipers that require a lot more fluid, you certainly aren't going to be able to push it with the stock MC.

Mike